Love Me in Another Universe

Chapter 3. Let's Play Basketball Together (Part 2)

Gao Xinglang approached Guan Xuchen and the girls, speaking gruffly, "Guan Xuchen, let's go play basketball!"

Guan Xuchen, who had been playing jumpsies, stopped when he saw Gao Xinglang coming, standing aside with his head down, silent. The girls picked up the elastic rope, surrounded Gao Xinglang, and chattered accusingly, "Why did you bully Guan Xuchen yesterday?" "Guan Xuchen is playing jumpsies with us." "He doesn't even want to play basketball with you."

Gao Xinglang was at a loss amidst the girls' clamor. At this moment, Guan Xuchen stepped over and said, "Forget it," which made the girls cease their noise.

Guan Xuchen raised his head, his face expressionless as he told Gao Xinglang, "Gao Xinglang, I really don't know how to play basketball. I'm sorry."

"It's not—" Gao Xinglang was eager to explain. He glanced at the girls, pulled Guan Xuchen aside, and whispered, "I'm really sorry about yesterday. I was just showing off my skills and didn't realize you don't know how to play basketball at all—"

Midway through, noticing a strange look on Guan Xuchen's face, Gao Xinglang quickly corrected himself, "No, I mean, how about I teach you basketball from scratch?"

Seeing Guan Xuchen still hesitant, Gao Xinglang continued, "I'll teach you one-on-one, so you don't have to worry about anyone laughing at you. Besides, a boy playing jumpsies with girls, people might say you're—say you're..."

"Say I'm what?" Guan Xuchen's face changed dramatically, asking angrily, "Who says boys can't play jumpsies? Who says boys have to play basketball?"

With that, he turned as if to leave.

Gao Xinglang quickly moved in front of Guan Xuchen and said earnestly, "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. Or consider this, if you learn to play basketball with me, no one will dare to bully you anymore."

Guan Xuchen halted, puzzled, "Why is that? What does it have to do with basketball?"

Gao Xinglang thought for a second and proudly said, "If someone bullies you, you can just throw the ball at them, like what I did!"

Guan Xuchen was taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter. After speaking a few words with the girls, he returned to Gao Xinglang and said with a smile, "Gao Xinglang, please teach me basketball."

"Let's find a place to practice then. And—" Gao Xinglang continued as they walked, "Don't call me by my full name. It sounds too formal. You can call me 'Little Basketball Prince', ''Prince Lang', or just 'Lang'. That's what my friends call me."

"'Prince'? Are you from a royal family? Are you rich?" Guan Xuchen asked curiously.

Upon hearing this, Gao Xinglang laughed out loud, "I wish I were. But unfortunately, no. Maybe they just think I have the air of a prince. It's just a nickname, nothing special."

Guan Xuchen nodded as if not quite understanding, "Oh, then I'll call you 'Lang'."

"Suit yourself." Gao Xinglang said, and then, with a nonchalant look, he asked, "What about you? Do you have any nickname? I don't want to call you by your full name, either. It's too formal."

Guan Xuchen shook his head, "The girls just call me by my full name. Or you can just call me 'Xuchen', or my English name, Tommy."

"Tommy? Soupy?" Gao Xinglang inexplicably smirked, and then explained seriously, "Well, I'm not your English teacher. But 'Tom' sounds like 'soup' in Cantonese. And I like soup. So, can I call you 'Soupy'?"

Guan Xuchen nodded, smiling, "Of course."

Guan Xuchen followed Gao Xinglang to an open space beside the playground, puzzled, "There's no basketball hoop here. How can we play basketball?"